Plastic, elastic, flexible substances and method of making them



ST'E'ES PATENT 'FHE PLASTIC, ams'r'rdrmxmm' SUBSTANCES AND METHOD or MAKING THEM Joseph 0. Patrick, Trenton, N. 3.

No Drawing. Application June 10, 1932, Serial No. 616,496

2 Claims. (Cl. 26M) In my prior Patent No. 1,890,191 it was pointed out that certain organic oxygen compounds con-' taining methylene groups or substitutedmethylene groups are capable of producing elastic substances when caused to react with inorganic polysulfides. In that application it was pointed out that substances, such asthe aldehydes may be used; that in general negative radicals, such as oxygen for example could take-the place of the o halogen radicals wholly or in part, in promoting the interaction between polysulfide sulfur and the methylene or substituted methylene residues.

In the present application there is described particularly the process and the reaction prod- 5 nuts derived from the interaction of polysulfldes m group or a substituted methylene group, which would appear to be especially desirable due to their probable availability; namely, furfuraldehyde'and the dichloroethers. The product resulting from these reactions is believed to be chemically a poly-methylene polysulfide product and is usually of a yellowish color, containing from 60 to 85% of combined sulfur, depending on the type of organic reactant used. The prodnot w w considerable resistance to solution r in many organic solvents together with flexibility amielasticitytoahighdegree.

While the di-, tri-, and pentasulfldes or mixturesof them may beused, it has been'found that the most suitable polysulfide for. this pur- 'pose is a solution containing for the most part a tetrasulflde. The cheapest and most readily are those of calcium and sodium. It will beobvious from what follows that any metallic radical or group which behaves like a metal 40 sulilciently to form a reasonably stable soluble can be used instead of sodium or calcium. Among these may be mentioned potassium, ammonium, barium, strontium, lithium,-

tri, etc.

For purposes of illustration, I will now describe,

the. preparation and use of a suitable solution ofthetetrasulfldeofsodiumwhichmaybe in this invention. 7

A suitable double molar solution of sodium tetmaybepreparedbydissolving 240's.

of sodium hydroxide in about 500 c. c. of water and adding thereto 320 g. of powdered sulfur, which has been previously emulsified or wetted with a small amount of water containing a little alcohol or roan soap as a wett agent. The

mixture is brought'to its boiling point (usually around 110-112 C.) and held there until all the sulfur has reacted to form polysulfide'and thi0- sulfate, usually about 30 minutes is suflicient.

The mixture is then cooled somewhat and di luted to 1000 c. c and yields'a solution comprising essentially two moles of NazSr and one mole of Nazszos.

Example I.T0 one liter of a suitablepclysulfide, such as the one above described, are added 96 grams ,of'furfuraldehyde and the mixture, suitably agitated, preferably using mechanical agitation. The reaction mixturemay be heated to about 70 C. with advantage as such moderate heating atly accelerates the process and does no harm; The time may be shortened by increasing the temperature, but danger of decomposition arises if the temperature is too high. Lower temperatures than 70 C. may be used" but require longer times. The time required for practical purposes is about five hours at 70 C. and although the reaction is not chemically complete at that time theformation of the gum-like reaction product has substantially ceased. The rate of the reaction and the degree or completion of the reaction are considerably improved if a considerable concentration of methyl or ethyl alcohol is present in the reaction mixture and the reaction vessel is connected with a reflux condenser.

The product resulting from the reaction is sticky. It may be separated from the reaction mixture and repeatedly kneaded and washed with water until it is substantially free from soluble matter, during which procedure it acquires a 9 much firmerand more elastic character.

Example II.To one liter of a suitable p'olysulfide, such as that described, are added, preferably a little at a time, 143 g. of BB-dichloroethyl ether.

The mixture should be agitated properly, prefer-' ably with mechanical agitation and may, with advantage, be warmed during the reaction, to about to C. The reaction time at such a temperature is usually about three hours under the best conditions and results in the substantial disappearance of the dichloroether. The product is a gum-like mass usually having a powerful 5 exceeding about 40 to 50 C. in this reaction it it is desired to shorten the time necessary by using elevated temperatures.

All these reaction products are fairly readily purified by exhaustive washing with cold, or prefl0 erably warm (40 0.), water and are, when suitably purified, elastic flexible substances capable of compounding and processing into elastic flexible manufactured articles suitable for gaskets,- impregnated or coated fabrics, such as cloth, or as- I bestos and are capable of other uses which will be Suggested by the properties 0! the products. They have a good degree of electrical resistance and are suitable for many applications in the electrical industry where their high resistance to atmospheric oxygen, ozone, organic solvents and water, together with good dielectric properties, render them peculiarly suitable.

I claim:

1. The method which comprises causing reaction between alkaline polysulfldes and iuriural.

2. A product comprising the reaction products between alkalinepolysulfldes and iurfural.

JOSEPH C. PATRICK. 

